Heating device for orchards.



v 1'. STAFF. HEATING DEVICE FOR OBGHABDS.

APPLIOATIOF FILED NOV, 93, 1908.

967,259. v Patented Aug. 16,1910.

FREDERICK STAPP, 0F DENVER, COLORADO.

HEATING DEVICE FOR ORCHARDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Application filed. November 23, 1908. Serial No. 464,075.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK STAFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heating Devices for Orchards; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices adapted for heating orchards, gardens or other localities to prevent frost which otherwise might injure the fruit or other vegetation.

My object is to provide a device of this class which shall be of simple and economical construction, reliable, durable and efficient in use.

My present invention may be termed an improvement on the construction disclosed in my prior application, Serial No. 457,483, filed October 12th, 1908.

The construction covered by my prior application consists of an open-ended receptacle, having a grate in its lower portion for the support of suitable heating fuel, as coal. This grate is composed of heavy wire, the wire members forming the grate, also being bent downwardly on the outside of the device, and forming a support for the fuel receptacle whereby it is raised a suitable distance above the ground to allow sufiicient air to enter from beneath for draft purposes, or for the purpose of proper combustion. In sections where the soil is quite sandy, the wire legs of my previous construction have a tendency to sink into the sandy or loose soil, which tendency is facilitated by the fuel, which, of course, adds considerable weight to the device.

My present construction consists in bending the lower extremities of the wires to form horizontally disposed feet, to which plates of metal are a plied, giving each foot a sort of web where y it presents a surface area of sufficient magnitude to prevent the feet from sinking into the soil.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a receptacle for coal or other suitable fuel. This recep tacle may be of any suitable construction,

and is adapted to be supported by legs 6, 1

each of which is composed of a slngle piece of wire which is bent to form a loop, which loop is in turn bent to form upper and lower horizontal, or approximately horizontal,

members. Each u oer horizontal member is composed of two parallel parts 7, which are passed through openings formed in the wall of the receptacle near the bottom, and form a part of the grate or fuel support. The inner extremity of each part 7 is provided with a hook 8, which interlocks with a similar hook formed on a similar part 7 entering the receptacle from the opposite side. As shown in the drawing, the grate is composed of eight parts 7, which are interlocked by means of hooks 8. Outside of the receptacle 5 the wire members are formed into short bends 9, which form stops. At the extremities of the parts 9 the wire is bent downwardly formin two approximately vertical parts 10, which constitute a leg 6. At the lower extremities of the parts 10 the wire is bent inwardly, forming two parallel horizontally disposed parts 12, which are connected by a part 13. Upon each pair of parts 12 is mounted a metal plate 14 whose extremities are bent over the parts 12 whereby the plate is secured in place thereon. These plates 14: form webs, and together with the parts 12 and 13 constitute feet which prevent the legs from readily sinking into the earth or soil.

As shown in the drawing, the device is provided with four of these web feet. It is evident, however, that any desired number of these feet may be employed, depending upon the number of legs with which it is desirable or necessary to equip the fuel reoeptacle. Ordinarily four will be found sufficient, and even three might be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what two opposite parallel wire portions of. the I claim is: feet, and covering substantially the entire A fuel receptacle provided with wire area within the outline of the same substanmembers extending through the lower portia'lly as described.

5 tion of the receptacle to form a fuel sup- In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 porting grate, the said members being bent in presence of two witnesses. downwardly outside of the receptacle to FREDERICK STAPP. form legs and inwardly to form feet, and Witnesses: plates detachably applied to the said feet, A. J. OBRIEN,

10 the extremities of the plates being bent over A. EBERT OBRIEN. 

